Diamondbacks pitcher Armando Galarraga to get another start

Right-hander has 5.50 ERA, 12 home runs allowed through seven starts

SAN FRANCISCO - Despite a rocky first seven outings to his Diamondbacks career, right-hander Armando Galarraga will get an eighth start, manager Kirk Gibson said.

It's hard to imagine there are any guarantees beyond that for a pitcher with a 5.50 ERA, 12 home runs allowed and just two quality starts, but if the Diamondbacks are considering a change - or even "disappointed" in Galarraga's results - Gibson wouldn't say.

"If I was (considering removing Galarraga from the rotation), it wouldn't be any of your business," Gibson said. "I'd let you know if I was and I wanted you to know."

Gibson bristled when asked after Galarraga's 5 1/3-inning, four-run outing Wednesday night if he were disappointed in the right-hander's results this season.

Asked Thursday to clarify what he didn't like about the question, he said he wasn't going to "voice disappointment in a player," adding that they win and lose as a team.

"We have discussions about people and what we're going to do about people and how to make our team more productive in the win column," Gibson said. "But it's not a disappointing thing. That's the way I look at it. We just look at it differently."

Slugging away

Double-A Mobile first baseman Paul Goldschmidt isn't the only minor-leaguer in the Diamondbacks system putting up monster offensive numbers. On a Triple-A Reno club that is hitting .315, outfielder Wily Mo Pena took a .366 average into Thursday night's action.

Pena also has 13 home runs, tying him with Goldschmidt for the most in minor-league baseball.

General Manager Kevin Towers and the organization have taken notice, but Towers said Pena's defensive limitations are a factor, as is the right-handedness of the Diamondbacks' bench.

"Other than Russell (Branyan), we don't have any left-handed options," Towers said. "Certainly if there's a need for a right-handed bat, he's a guy that we'll look at."

Short hops

Xavier Nady got his first start of the season in left field, the position at which he was expected to see the bulk of the action when the club signed him in December. But Nady, who has had two Tommy John surgeries on his right elbow, did not throw or hit well in spring training, making other players better options at the position.

- Center fielder Chris Young was out of the lineup for the first time this season. He had started and played in every inning of all 35 games. He still played, singling as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning.

- Right-hander Barry Enright, making his first start for Reno, gave up three runs in five innings Wednesday. However, a bout with food poisoning kept him from even going to the ballpark Tuesday, and he was pitching despite not feeling 100 percent Wednesday.

- A limited number of tickets for the All-Star Game and Home Derby are going on sale at 10 a.m. Monday at allstargame.com and dbacks.com/asg or by calling the team's ticket line at 602-514-8400. Prices start at $115 for the All-Star Game and $85 for the Home Run Derby, which in each instance includes a separate ticket for admission to MLB All-Star FanFest.

Diamondbacks farm report

Triple-A Reno: OF Wily Mo Pena on Tuesday was named the Pacific Coast League's player of the week for the second time this season. He hit .520 with five home runs and eight RBIs during the week. OFs Collin Cowgill (.336 average) and Cole Gillespie (.336) continue to swing hot bats.

Double-A Mobile: RHP Jarrod Parker had another solid outing, tossing five innings and allowing no earned runs while walking a season-best two batters. Parker has allowed five earned runs in his past four starts, a span of 21 innings. He's still hitting the upper-90s on the radar gun with his fastball.

High-A Visalia: 3B Matt Davidson has really gotten going offensively, hitting .415 with four home runs in his past 10 games, raising his average to .304 with a .472 slugging percentage. LHP Tyler Skaggs has been very good in his past two three starts, striking out 24 batters in 18 2/3 innings while allowing only three earned runs. He is second in the minor leagues in strikeouts.

Low-A South Bend: RHP J.R. Bradley had maybe the best outing of his career this week, allowing just one run in six innings, walking none and striking out three. Bradley was the club's second-round pick last June.